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Fine motor control rehabilitationFine motor control rehabilitation description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20080070752, Fine motor control rehabilitation. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001]This application claims the benefit under 119(e) of a U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/542,022, filed Feb. 5, 2004, and U.S. provisional application No. 60/566,079 filed on Apr. 29, 2004, the disclosure of both applications are incorporated herein by reference. This application is also related to PCT applications, being filed on same date and by the same applicant as the present application, entitled "Gait Rehabilitation Methods and Apparatuses"; "Rehabilitation with Music"; "Neuromuscular Stimulation"; "Methods and Apparatuses for Rehabilitation Exercise and Training"; "Methods and Apparatus for Rehabilitation and Training"; "Methods and Apparatus for Rehabilitation and Training"; "Methods and Apparatus for Rehabilitation and Training"; and having attorney docket numbers, 414/04391; 414/04396; 414/04400; 414/04388; 414/04213, 414/04404; 414/04405, respectively. The disclosures of all these applications are incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002]The present invention relates to methods and apparatuses for rehabilitation, activity assistance and exercise, for example for rehabilitation, assessment, assistance and exercise with activities such as eating and writing. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003]Strokes, accidents and other medical conditions can cause a person to lose the ability to control fine motor actions, for example, those required for handwriting and for eating with a fork and spoon. During a lengthy rehabilitation process, a patient is taught anew to control the limbs. [0004]While many rehabilitation methods have been developed, for various reasons patients do not keep to the methods and/or for other reasons do not reassume a reasonable level of control. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0005]A broad aspect of some embodiments of the invention relates to rehabilitation of fine motor control, for example using a finger-manipulated object. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the position and/or orientation and/or force on the object are reported to a controller and/or are set by the controller. Optionally, the object is used in a real world setting. Optionally, one or more gross-motor movements of the patient are limited or are rehabilitated simultaneously with the fine motor control. [0006]A broad aspect of some embodiments of the invention relates to rehabilitation in which fine motor and gross motor control are rehabilitated simultaneously through the use of a single integrated device. Optionally, positional feedback or positional control is provided by the device to a controller and/or a patient. [0007]An aspect of some embodiments of the invention relates to a fine-motor control rehabilitation device, for example, a pen, which is used for emulating and/or as part of real-world activities, such as writing, while allowing the rehabilitation device to apply force to the patient's hand (or other fine motor control source). Optionally, the applied force can be applied to guide the pen in a desired manner, or constrain its movement. Optionally, the device is re-locatable with respect to a real-world activity location, for example a table. Optionally, gross motion of a patient's limb is prevented, controlled and/or monitored using a suitable means attached to a user's arm. [0008]An aspect of some embodiments of the invention relates to use of the system for activity assistance. For example, the system is optionally used for assisting a person with writing. In such an embodiment, a person could write letters and words in response to writing cues provided on the writing surface. [0009]Optionally, the system is used to assess the condition of a person while attempting to perform a certain activity. For example, the deficiencies of a person's eating motion are recorded and/or analyzed as the person performs the motions while using the system. Via direct observation of an attending medical professional and/or sensed observation through the system, deficiencies can be analyzed and targeted for exercise and/or rehabilitation. [0010]In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, such a pen (or any other rehabilitation device) is movable in several degrees of freedom, for example, orientation and planar position. Optionally motion along the pen axis is supported as well. Optionally, motion is limited, for example by design, to the type of motion needed for the rehabilitation task. [0011]Optionally, motion of the pen can be set or constrained by a rehabilitation system. Alternatively or additionally, such motion is measured or assisted by a rehabilitation system. Optionally, the pen includes one or more pressure sensors to determine a particular grip of the pen. Optionally, the pen includes one or more feedback points, for example, small vibrators, which allow a rehabilitation system to provide feedback to a user. [0012]In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the pen moves in a plane of a table. Optionally, the pen is attached to the table, for example, being held from beneath the table. Alternatively, the pen is held from above the table. Optionally, the pen is mounted on a positioning system which can be moved and attached at various positions relative to a particular table or relative to other tables. [0013]In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the table includes means for sensing the pen usage, for example a pressure sensor, a tablet computer or other pen-detecting means known in the art, for example position and orientation sensors. Optionally, one or more images may be projected on the table, for example from below (e.g., a transparent table) or from above, or shown using the table as an active display. [0014]In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the pen is mounted on a ball joint which allows spherical motion of the pen. Optionally, the pen includes an axial linear joint, for radial motion. Optionally, the ball joint is mounted on an X-Y table. [0015]An aspect of some embodiments of the invention relates to a system for rehabilitation of eating. Optionally, the rehabilitation system includes rehabilitation of fine motor control involved in manipulating a utensil and also rehabilitation of gross motor control involved in moving the utensil (e.g., from a plate to a mouth). Optionally, rehabilitation of the mouth and/or coordination of the mouth and hand, are also provided. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, an eating utensil is held by the system in the air and can be moved over a path from a food container (e.g., a plate) to a user's mouth. Optionally, the rehabilitation system or a user can move the food container, so as to provide multiple rehabilitation situations in a session. [0016]Optionally, the rehabilitation system can feed a user automatically and/or complete incomplete user motions. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a patient is rehabilitated during daily activities, such as eating. Optionally, the rehabilitation system can detect the state of a mouth, for example whether it is open or closed. Optionally, the rehabilitation system can detect dropping of food, for example dropping from the utensil or from the mouth. Optionally, system includes a camera and suitable image processing for the detection of food dropping and/or various motion elements. [0017]In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a rehabilitation system is provided which supports other fine motor tasks, for example, sorting and assembly. Optionally in such applications, the utensil held is a finger of the patient himself, for example, using a short rubber sleeve or ring that fits on a finger. [0018]An aspect of the invention relates to teaching fine motor control to patients who have lost control of their fingers. An instrument, such as a pen, can be attached to the end of the patient's forearm and the patient can be taught to write using the system described herein. [0019]In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, patients who use prosthetic limbs are taught fine motor control over their limbs in order to perform activities, such as eating and writing. [0020]In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the system is adapted to be portable. Optionally, communication between various components of the system is wireless. Optionally, the system is powered by batteries. Continue reading about Fine motor control rehabilitation... Full patent description for Fine motor control rehabilitation Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Fine motor control rehabilitation patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Fine motor control rehabilitation or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Controlling method for damper clutch of automatic transmission and system thereof Next Patent Application: Portable pole-dancing assembly Industry Class: Exercise devices ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Fine motor control rehabilitation patent info. 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